Centrifugal separator



Feb. 26, 1929. v 1,703,094

T. A. BRYsoN I CENTRIFUGAL sEPAmT'oR original Filed sep@ 29, 1925 z sheets-sheet 2 Patented Feb. y 26, 1929.

UNITED s'mxras PATENT oFFlcE.

aANDY A. BaYsoN, or TROY, NEW YORK, As'srGNoR, BY MnsNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro

TOLHURST E WORKS, INC., OF YORK.

TROY,l NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW v CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATQR.

Original application led September 29, 1925, Serial No. 59,271. Divided and this application iiled December 30, 1925.' Serial No. 78,497.

This invention relates to centrifugal separators and more particularly to safety devices for said devices.

My invention further relates to certain4 be learned by practice with the invention, the

same being realized and attained by. means of the instrumentalities and combinations f pointed out in the appended claims.

This application is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 59,271 iled September 29, 1925.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment ofthe invention, and together with the description, serve to eX- plain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a centrifuga-l separator, equipped with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the basket cover shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, on an enlar ed scale, substantially on the line 3-3 of ig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In centrifugal separators it is common to use wing nuts to cooperate with the. spindles or axles of the separators, but it is found in practice that there have been many narrow escapes from injury from flying wing nuts. Also there have been narrow escapes from flying contents of the basket, as for example, showers of machine tool chips whichwere being separated from cutting oil.

To minimize the danger. ofthe wing nuts iying off of the spindle during the operation of the centrifugal, and injury from such nuts, or from the contents of the basket, some-users provide the wing nut and the end of the spindle with registering holes, vand wire the wing nut to the spindle before eachV run. This,'of course,.takes time, is troublesome, vand adds to the labor and costof operation.

By my invention the centrifugal force of the rotating parts of the separator will automatically lock the wing nut and prevent its relative movement on the threaded end of the spindle or axle regardless of what speeds the spmdle may be rotated.

in the drawings, 1 is the case of any suitable centrifugal separator, having the ordinary outlet 2, dome 3 hinged on the pivot 4 and provided with the handle 5. The spindle or axle 6 cooperates with the basket hub 7 and 1s provided'with male screw-threads on its end to cooperate with the female threads 9 1n the wing nut 10. This wing nut is provided with the usual wings 11, 11 and, in ad- Y'dition'. thereto, is provided with a locking or engaging member to cooperate with a second locking member, ,the two members being -thrown into locking engagement by centrifugal, force.` y

In the particular embodiment of my invention, shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, I pivot a yoke 12 on the pivot 13 to the basket cover 14. Thls yoke is provided with a pawl or tooth 15 (Fig. 2) and also preferably with an eccentrically mounted, weighted arm 16. On

. the lower yportion of the wing nut 10, I prode a ratchet ange 17, having the teeth `After the basket 19 has been filled with the art1cles to `be treated in the separator, the basket cover 14 is placed over the screwthreaded end 8 of the spindle 6, and then the In the embodiment ofmy invention, shown wing nut 10 is screwed up against the basket l cover 14. The parts will then be in substantially the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the pawl 15 is disengaged from the teeth 18 of the ratchet flange 17 Thedome 3 is then used 4to close the centrifugal case 1 preparatory to rotating the spindle 6. As soon as power isapplied to the spindle 6 it will rotate the basket 19 and basket cover 14 clockwise. Due to its inertia, the wing nut 10 will tend to rotate counter-clockwise relatively to the basket cover, that is, to back off. Almost instantly the centrifugal force will cause the pivoted yoke 12 to rock upon the pivot 13 and move from the position shown inFig.,2 so as Y oted yoke 12. As soon as this pawl engages almost instantly. The eccentric weighted with one of these teeth 18, the wing nut is locked and cannot screw off ofthe screwthreaded portion 8 of the spindle 6.

In stopping the rotation of the basket 19 and spindle 6 by the-,ordinary brake, not shown, there will be a tendency, due to the .continued rotation-of the wing nut 10 for it to'become disengaged from the pawl or tooth 1,5. It is possible,I due to thev spring of the basket cover 14 and backlash that a tooth 18 ofthe ratchet 17 on the cap might slip under the pawl 15, but there ywill be no injury or disastrous` effect onV the mechanism because the stressing of the parts in this direction simply screws up the wing nut tighter upo the spindle 6. 'A small amount of back-lash between the pawl- 15 and the nut 10 makes no difference since the cover 14 is springyy and the nut does not have to be screwed up to a definite stop. In starting the centrifugal, the

Vnut may tend to back off until the pawl and ratchet are engaged; however, this will be larm 16 also acts as a handle or lever to disengage the pawl 15 from the particular tooth 18 with which ith is. in engagement on the ratchet 17.

l' limited to the specificmechanisms shown and described, but departures may be made therefrom- Within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages. Y

What I claim is 1. The combination in centrifugal separators of a spindle provided with screwthreads, a basket, a cover for the basket, a nut mounted on the screw-threaded spindle to secure the cover, said nut being provided with a locking part, and a centrifugally operated lockingmember mounted on the cover, and adapted to engage with the locking part and prevent the disengagement of the nut from the spindle on rotation in one direction, disengagement in the other direction bein prevented by the cooperating screw-threa s.

2.. The combination in centrifugal separators of a spindle provided with screwthreads,.a basket, a cover for the basket, a wing nut mounted on the Kscrew-threaded spindle to secure the cover, said .wing nut vbeing provided with a ratchet flange, and a centrifugally operated locking member mounted on the cover, and .adapted to engage with the ratchet flange and prevent the dis-l engagement of the nut from vthe spindle on rotation in one direction, disengagement in the other direction being'prevented by the cooperating screw-threads. v

3. The combination in a centrifugal separator of a driven spindle provided with screw-threads, a basket, a cover for thebasket, a winged nut mounted on the screwthreaded spindle to secure the cover-to the spindle, said wing nut being provided with a ratchet flange, a yoke pivoted on the cover and provided with a pawl to engage 'with the ratchet flange and prevent the disengagement of the wing nut from the spindle on rotation 1n one direction, dlsengagement in the other direction' being prevented by the cooperating spindle, said wing nut being provided with a i ratchet flange, a yoke pivoted on the cover and providedpwith an eccentrically mounted arm and also with a pawl to engage with the l ratchet flange' and preventthe dlsengagement of the lwing nut from th'e spindle on rotation in one direction, disenga ement in the other direction being preventeby the cooperatingscrew-threads.

5. The combination in a centrifugal sepamember, a basket, a cover for the basket, a locking member to secure the cover, said locking'member being provided with engaging rator 'of a driving member provided with env gaging surfaces to cooperate with a locking l surfaces to cooperate with the engaging surfaces on ,the driving member and also provided with `a locking part, a c entrifugally operated lock mounted 'on the cover and adapted to engage with the locking part carried by the locklng member and prevent the disengagement of the locking member from the driving member in one direction, disengagement in the other direction being prevented by the cooperating engaging surfaces on the driving and locking mem ers.l v,

6. The combination in a centrifugal separator of a` driving spindle having screwthreads for a locking nut, a basket, a cover,

a nut to` lock the cover, and centrifugally operated means to prevent the accidental disengagement of the nut,

7. The combination 1n a centrifugal separator of a driving member, a basket, a cover,

'a locking member on the driving member for securing the cover to the basket and means a locking member cooperating with the drivrator of a driving member, a basket, a cover, a locking member on the drivmg member for securing the cover to the basket and means adapted to automatically engage the locking member While the members are rotating in 10 order to prevent their disengagement.

11. The combination. in 'a centrifugal separator of a driving y spindle having screw threads for a locking unit, albasket, a cover,`

a nut to lock the cover and means automatically operable on the rotation of the driving spindle, basket and cover to prevent the ac- 

